Slideshow

72 Hours at New York Fashion Week

February 18, 2014

Evening 1: Leaving one snow storm for another, I took off Sunday morning during the peak of the ice to land in NYC that evening just as the skies opened there.

Photo: Guney Cuceloglu

Evening 1: Time changes meant I got in late, but managed to meet up with Portlander Jonny Shultz at Tribeca's Brandy Library who was in town as the new scout and agent for Ford Models (he spent all day with super models and then me).

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 2: Shows for NYFW run from the early morning until late. My first was offsite from Lincoln Center at Milk Studios, a popular side venue for shows in addition to being a well respected hub for fashion, film, and photography.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 2: Ohne Titel (German for "Untitled by Flora Gill and Alexa Adams) showed their layered and textured vision for fall with pops of bright cobalt and deep red.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 2: More looks from Ohne Titel's show with their signature nod to futuristic vibes.

Photo: Courtesy Ohne Titel

Day 2: Shows starting on time is a rarity, but you never know, so the second I finished that show I head uptown breathing in the frigid air while literally skating down a street in high heels to the next venue.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 2: I finally made my way to Chelsea for the Dominic Louis show at the designers loft which initially involved fantastically stylish people crammed in a lobby for a lengthy amount of time.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 2: Just as my feet and personal bubble space were fed up, the freight elevator took me to the top floor where guests were greeted with a stunning view and cocktails. Well played Nouveau PR.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 2: The asymmetrical sweater cape stole the show (and my NW heart).

Photo: WWD

Day 2: Louis' collection took leather to its tailored best. His perfectly molded bustiers impressed and the wardrobe styling of the pieces was on point.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 2: In a magic hour moment, the sun set with the penthouse view just as the show ended and it was off to the next event.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 2: Running around at fashion week means you constantly need to charge your phone. It's a must. Your choices are to become what they call a "socket sucker" or pack around one of these amazing Pukus that let you charge anywhere.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 2: After some dinner with Ed's circle, including blogger Vanessa Hong of The Haute Pursuit, we headed to the rooftop club of Catch in the West Village where fancy bottles means a train of sparkler carrying waitresses.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: I was initially supposed to get up and have lunch with a friend who helped design the Olympic Ceremony costumes for Ralph Lauren at The Plaza, but coming home at 4am and all the "fun" left me, er, unable to make it. (Sorry Kev!)

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 2: Also part of our makeshift party was designer Matteo Fenaroli whose gorgeous line of shoes Charles Philip Shanghai are at Saks and Neiman's but sadly not here (yet).

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 2: I headed out for the night with Ed Kavishe founder of Fashion Wire Press (aka the guy who shoots every major fashion show in the world from NYC to Paris to Milan). He's the only person I know who has pics of him and Karl Lagerfeld.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: The day passed quickly with a trip to Chinatown for Pho and a forgotten charger, and soon the time for Lincoln Center was upon me.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: The Art Institutes held a national search to find a handful of students to showcase collections in the big theater in a once in a lifetime chance. Most designers wait years to show at NYFW.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: In one of my proudest moments, three of my students were selected to show. Here designing duo German Madrigal and Ryan Edmonds mug across the runway for me right before the show.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: Students showed work from all over the nation and were selected by a panel that included top brass from Mercedes-Benz and Macy's.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: Some of the work, including the collection from young Philly designer Sam Ciccone blew me away with its attention to detail.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: Madrigal and Edmonds were not only the single design team they were also the only ones to use their tailored minimalist aesthetic for mens and women's wear.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: Our other Portland designer Lorena Cabrera showed her sculptured ready to wear inspired by pyrite and its geometric shapes.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: Cute designer moments.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: Cute designer moments.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: Always curious to see a backstage I snuck past the curtain to give my hugs and see the space where some of my favorite collections have briefly lived.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: All too quickly we said good-bye to the fanciness and headed for the after parties.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Day 3: In this case that meant heading to Tagine in the Garment District for all my old students who'd moved to NYC to come together for a night of fire dancing and contortionists (because nothing says fashion like this).

Photo: Eden Dawn

Morning 4: Almost more than the shows I had been looking forward to heading to the Brooklyn Museum for the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Morning 4: One of the most prolific and creative designers in history, every piece in the Gaultier exhibit was an unbelievable masterpiece.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Morning 4: Some of the mannequins featured terrifying talking projection faces.

Photo: Eden Dawn

Morning 4: Gaultier

Photo: Eden Dawn

Morning 4: Costello made major fashion news this month when he recreated a dress he'd shown here at FashionNXT for Beyonce to wear at the Grammys. You know, Beyonce.

Photo: AP